Tabs for attachment to ring-binder leaves, and means for mounting the same



Dec. 26, 1961 A. BRODY ETAL TABS FOR ATTACHMENT TO RING-BINDER LEAVES, AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE SAME 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed March 5, 1958 INVENTORS: A! 28 2 HEW/a2 8200) ATTORNEY Dec. 26, 1961 A. BRODY ETAL TABS FOR ATTACHMENT TO RING-BINDER LEAVES, AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE SAME Filed March 5, 1.958

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS: GEORGE fl. 23 42r/me 520.0)

FIG/0 TTORNEY TABS FOR ATTACHMENT To RING-BINDER LEAVES, AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE This invention relates generally to the field of looseleaf ring-binders, and has particular reference to an improved tab for attachment to a ring-binder leaf.

Tabs of the character to which the invention relates areuseful to reinforce leaves already punched to receive the rings of the binder, and are also useful in providing apertured attachment'ears on-.leaves or sheets that are unpunched and are intendedto'be engaged with the binder rings.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an attachment tab of improved structural nature, having a varied utility as hereinbeforementioned. v

A coordinate objectof the invention is to provide a novel tab-carrying mount constituting a new article of manufacture by meansof which a supply of tabs of the character mentioned may be handled and stored as a unit, the tabs carriedby this unit being individually removable by the user. V

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for making tabs and tab-carrying mounts ofthe type referred to tab embodying the features of this invention is substantially oblong in shape, provided at one end with a ring-engaging part having-an aperture therein, and at the other end with an attachment part. The top face of the tab is non-adhesive in nature. On the under face there is a pressure adhesive onv the attachment partand an aqueously activatable adhesive on the apertured part- The attachmentpart is secured, in the first instance, to the card or back'upon which the tab is mountedwhen it is manufactured and sold to the user. .yThis attachment United States Patent part is ultimately adhesively securableto a ring-binder leaf to permit the tab to fulfill its contemplated function. The apertured part of the tab may project laterally beyondthe' edge ofthe leaf tojbe engaged by the binder rings, or it gmayhe wadhesive-lysecured in r'egistry..with the punched Jhole already present adjacent to the edge of the leaf, for reinforcementpurposes. V .,-A characterizing. feature of the-'tab-carrying mount, as contemplated by the invention, resides? in the neatly attractive manner in which the plurality. of: tabs :are secured tothe. backing, and in the efiiciency with which the several elements have been associated and interengaged.

Other features of the inventiomreside inthe economy ofthemanufacturing procedure, both asto material used and reliable uniformity of the resultant product.

Patented Dec. 26, 1961 "ice FIGURE 6 is a perspective view'of a ring-binder leaf carrying tabs of the present character as reinforcements;

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view substantially along the line7-7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a ring binder leaf employing the present tab as an attachment ear;

FIGURE 9 is a cross sectional view substantially along the line 9--9 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 showing the manner in which a pair of tabs may be used to advantage; and

FIGURE 11 is a cross sectional view substantially along theline 1111 of FIGURE 10.

Referring first to FIGURE 3, it will be observed that a tab constructed in accordance with this invention consists of a substantially rectangular upper element 20,. the long edge being substantially twice the dimension of the short edge,,and a lower substantially square element 21 permanently bonded to the upper layer adjacent to one end thereof. The upper layer is a relatively flexible and tough material, such as polyester iilm of the character presently available on the market under the name Mylet. The layer'21 is relatively stiff and'rnay be composed of heavy paper-board. The two-ply end of the tab is thus of reinforced nature. It is provided with a punched aperture 22'adapted to receive the ring of a binder of conventional kind.

I he top face of the tab is non-adhesive in character. On the bottom face, the exposedsurface of the element 21 bears a coating of aqueously activatable adhesive, whereas the exposed part of the element 20, directly adjacent to the element 21, bears a coating of pressure adhesive.

In using the tab, it may be employed for reinforcing purposes, as indicated in FIGURES 6 and 7. 23 represents a conventional ring-binder leaf provided adjacent to the edge 24 with two or more punched holes or apertures such as the hole indicated at 25 in FIGURE 7. To reinforce this hole, the tabof FIGURE 3 may be adhesively secured to'the leaf 23 with the long axis of the tab extending parallelto the edge 24. This is accomplished by wetting the under face of the reinforced and of the tab and pressing it downwardly upon the leaf 23 with the aperture 22 in registry with the hole 25. This procedure is greatly facilitated by the ability to hold the tab by the attachment part directly adjacent to the apertured part',- since it is thuspossible to expose-the entire area of the wettable adhesive to the tongue of the user, or other wetting instrumentality. .After the apertured part has been pressed down in proper position, the attachment part is released, and will adhere to the leaf 23, as shown,

One way of achieving these general objects and advantages, and such other benefits as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, is illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings, in which- 1 7 FIGURE 1 isa fragmentary perspective view, somewhat diagrammatic in nature, of an apparatus useful in forming tabs and tab-carrying mounts embodying the features of the invention; I

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a tab-carrying mount;

, FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a single tab;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view substantially along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2; v

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectionalview substantially along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

by the mere application of pressure.

FIGURES 8 and'9 indicate the manner in which the tab maybe used to provide a ring-engaging ear on a leaf 26 which has not been previously punched. This lea-f may be, for example, a photograph or other sheet which the user wishes to incorporate in the ring-binder. As indicated in FIGURES 8 and 9, the tab is applied in this case to the side edge 27 of the leaf 26, with the longitudinal axis of the tab at right angles to the edge 27. The attachment part with the pressure adhesive on its under face is pressed down on to the face of the leaf 26, and the apertured ring-engaging part is caused to project from the edge 27, as indicated. The adhesive coating on the bottom face of the apertured part is not activated.

It may be desirable, however, to take advantage of the presence of this aqueously activatable adhesive by employing two of the tabs, as indicated in FIGURES l0 and 11. In this case, a leaf 28 is provided with a ring-engaging car by mounting one tab on one face, as indicated at 29, and another tab on the opposite face 30, the tabs being arranged in directly superposed relation, whereby the adhesive coatings which face each other in the apertured parts may be activated and caused to adhere to each other. This results in providing a staunch projection on the leaf 28, by means of which the leaf may beinserted into the ring-binder.

In FIGURES 2 and 4 there is shown a tab-carrying mount which constitutes a convenient and attractive supply of tabs. In the .preferredconstruction shown in these figures, four parallel rows of tabs aremounted ona supporting card 31. This card may be of any desired or suitable material, such as cardboard'or the like. One row of tabs is indicated at 32 with its -apertured tab ends ar ranged adjacent to one longitudinal edge 33 of the mount. A similar second row of tabs isindicated at 34, adjacent to the opposite longitudinal edge 35 of the mount. Two

additional rows of tabs are indicated at 36 and'37,"the

apertured ends being arranged in adjacence along the central region of the mount 31. The relationship of parts is best indicated in FIGURE 4, wherein there is shown a series of tabs 32a, 36a, 37a and 34a; Each tabis adhesively secured-to the backing or mount 31 by means of the pressure adhesive on the under face of its attachment part. The apertured part of each tab is free of direct facial attachment to the backing 31. -Accordingly, when 'it is desired to remove a tab from the mount, the apertured end may be readily lifted, as indicated in connection-with thetab' 34a, and the tab peeled from the surface of the card 31. 'To facilitate the latter action, the face of :theoard 31 to which the-tabs are secured is provided with a release coating of appropriate kind, such as polyethylene.

The preferred method and apparatus for-manufacturing the tabs, and the tab-carrying mounts, -is-illustratively exemplified in FIGURES 1 and 5.

In carrying out this phase of the invention, a series of continuous webs are longitudinally advanced in convergent relation and bonded together as they pass between a pair of pressure rollers 40 and 41. 'Ihefirst web, shown uppermost in FIGURE 1, is a continuous length 50 of the flexible and tough material ultim ately to form'the layer 20 of FIGURE 3. The Web '50, as it approaches the rollers shown, is coated on its under face with a pressure -adhesive. This may be applied in any desired mannerat a previous stage (not shown). The web '51, shown lowermost in FIGURE 1, iscomposed of-acardboard-or equivalent sheet material having the desired body and stiffness for the backing 31. Thisweb-is at'least as wide as the web 50, and .it ispreferably coated on its top surface (as viewed in FIGURE 1) with a releasecoating. Y This may be applied at a previouszstage (not shown).

Feeding toward the rollers 40, 41, between the webs 50 and 51, are a set of parallel spaced-apartrelatively narrow webs 52, 53 and.54. Thesearecomposed o-fthe relatively stiff material'ultimately todefine the part '21 of the tab shown in FIGURE 3. Eachof these narrow webs-bears on its under face a coating (previously applied "by any conventional means, not shown which is an aqueously aotivatable adhesive. The webs 52 and'54 will ultimately define the reinforcement parts ofthe tabs in the rows 32 and 34 of FIGURE 2, hence each ofthese webs is half the width of the medial web 53'which will ultimately define the juxtaposed reinforcement ends-of the tab rows 36 and 37. 1

It will be observed that each of-the narrower-webs is bonded along its uncoated face (uppermost) to the adhesive-bearingface of the web 50; andthe coated (uppermost) face of the web 51 is'simultaneously bonded tothe adhesive-bearing face of the web 50 intheregions between the webs 52, 53, 54.

Immediately following the passage of the webs through the rollers 40, 41, they are subjected tothe longitudinal cutting action of knives 55, 56 and 57. As best indicated in FIGURE 5, the knife 55 forms alongitudinal cut in the web 50 halfw y etween the narrower webs 5.2 and Similarly, the knife 57 forms a cut in the web 50 halfway between the'narrower webs 53 and 54. The'knife 56 cuts through both webs 50 and 53. None of the cutters severs the web 51.

At a subsequent stage of advancement, the supenposed webs are subjected to the action of a pair of punching elements 58 and 59. Since punching operations are well known per se, the details of these parts have not been illustrated. Sufiice it to point out thatthe part 59 might be provided with apertures and remain stationary during the punching operations, whereas the ,part 58 would in such a case be provided .with punch 'elementsdesigned to enter the apertures in the-part 59 as the element 58 is reciprocated upwardly and downwardly, as indicated by the arrow 60, by a mechanism of appropriate kind (not shown). The function of the punching apparatus is to form a longitudinal row of holes or apertures in each of the spaced longitudinal regions 'inwhich the webs overlap. This forms the four longitudinal rows indicated at =61,-62, 63and 64. I

Since the punching apparatus functions intermittently upon successive longitudinal segments -of the advancing webs, a slack region 65 is provided for between theregion of the apparatus in which the webs move continuously and the regionof-the apparatus in which they move stepwise.

Afterthe-webs leave the-punching station,"-they are subjected to'the cutting action of an appropriate mechanism, illustratively'shown in the form'of a transverse roller 66, provided with a multiplicity of parallel cutting edges, whereby a series of transverse-cuts-67 are "formed in the uppermost webs, but not in the web 51, these cuts being parallel, lying crosswise with 'respect to the advancing webs, and between the apertures previously formed. Accuracy of positioning isprovided "for by-operating the cutting -instrument 66 in indexed relation to the punching operation.

-At a-stage subsequent. to the'operations indicated in FIGURE 1, the laminated product is'severed-along transverse lineswhich form separate units of the character shown in FIGURE 2. Obviously these units maybe of any desired length.

It will be observed that the plurality of. tabs'carried by the'unit of FIGURE 2 are arrangeddn closely adjacent array. This impants an attractive appearance *to the unit,"and is economical and efficientfrom'the standpoint of making maximum use of the available area of the underlying backing sheet.

'Where the upper sheet'50 (defining'the part 20 of each resultant tab) is-o'f a transparent nature, the attractive new of the unit of FIGURE 2, and of the individual tabs, may be furtherenhanced' by: coloring the webs 5'2, 53, 54. The backing card-51 may also be appropriately colored, if desired. Instructionsor adVertis-ing-em- -bellishment may. also be appliedto the web5=1,either-on the face that shows through thetransparent web 50 or onjthe under face. l

While theunit of FIGURE 2 has been shown with four adjacent parallel 'rows'of tabs, --it will be understood that a smaller-numberofrows may-be'provided for. 'For example, a tab-carryin'g'mount may be created'on which there-is onlya single'row-of-tabs, or, if-theouter webs areappropriatelywidened, .and if additional intermediate webs are used, units may be formed in which there are 'more than four parallel rows of removable tabs.

Other elements of the procedure and apparatus may be t similarly modified without materially altering the basic nature of the concept. For example, thecutters 55, 56, '57 may be positioned closer to'the rollers 40, 41, or on the side from which the various webs are approaching these rollers. Punching means other than the intermittent type shown may be used, and transverse cutting means other than the knife roller-66 may be employed.

In generalit. should --be understood that the details herein described and illustrated maybe modified in various respects without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A substantially rectangular tab for attachment to a ring-binder leaf, consisting of a ring-engaging end provided with an aperture adapted to receive a binder ring, said ring engaging end being formed of two permanently bonded superposed layers, the upper face of the upper layer being non-adhesive and the under face of the lower layer bearing an aqueously activatable adhesive, the upper layer including an attachment stem integral with and extending beyond the contour of said lower layer, said stem having a non-adhesive upper face and a pressure adhesive on its under face.

2. A tab-carrying mount consisting of a supporting card and a plurality of tabs carried thereby and individually removable therefrom, each tab being substantially oblong and comprising an apertured binder-ring-engaging end and an attachment end, the upper face of the tab being non-adhesive and the under face carrying a pressure adhesive on said attachment end and an aqueously activatable adhesive on said apertured end, said tabs being mounted on said card in closely adjacent array with said attachment ends in peelable adhesive engagement with said card and with said apertured ends over- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,326,370 Porter Dec. 30, 1919 1,687,859 Fontaine Oct. 16, 1928 2,061,675 Schade Nov. 24, 1936 2,320,092 Miller May 25, 1943 2,589,168 Vassar Mar. 11, 1952 2,593,286 Fermanian Apr. 15, 1952 2,688,582 Phair et al. Sept. 7, 1954 2,764,501 Perri Sept. 25, 1956 2,797,801 Bishop July 2, 1957 2,818,168 Tobey et al. Dec. 31, 1957 2,820,734 Rueckert Jan. 21, 1958 2,836,290 Braun May 27, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 682,855 Great Britain Nov. 19, 1952 

